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Scientists say they've restored the vision of blind mice by introducing light-sensitive cells into the rodents' retinas.       These "photoreceptor precursor cells" are not undifferentiated stem cells but come from a later stage of cell development when stem cells have already "committed" to being a particular cell type -- in this case the rod-and-cone photoreceptors the eye uses to sense light.The study invigorates the search for cell transplants that might someday restore the vision of millions of people who suffer from a loss of these photoreceptors.  "We think this is a major breakthrough because it shows what can be achieved," said...

Scientists have taken big step towards helping humans British scientists have managed to make blind mice see, a breakthrough that could open the way to treating millions of people who lose their sight. A team successfully transplanted retinal cells into mice that were blind as a result of a genetic defect, the effects of which are very similar to the human disease retinitis pigmentosa. The treated mice regained some vision, and the team responsible showed that the transplanted cells integrated into the retina and formed new photoreceptors, the cells that are sensitive to light. The loss of photoreceptors underlies many...